Second Wind, another Breath of Heart
by jayb
Summary: I wrote this as a fill in between episode 13 and the end of episode 12. The darkness of the 13th needed a little lightening.


**SECOND WIND, ANOTHER BREATH OF HEART**

Makoto hesitated, then decided to just stand still. He had gone to Minimo's apartment to tell her about her father as well as about the hell he had gone through during the night, but so far he had not been able to say anything. What to say and how to say it had his mind in complete turmoil. He found Minimo sitting on the floor of her darkened room, lit only by the flashes of lightning outside her window and some light from the main room of the apartment. Around her room lay scattered books as well as things that had been kept on her desk top. Pushed or thrown down he couldn't tell. The rain blown against the window was a counterpoint to her crying. Now she held the front of his shirt in a tight grip and he could feel the wetness of her tears start to soak through to his chest.

Her cry not touch her had made him hold his arms still. Then her question for him to clarify what she really was to him had left him stunned. Her last statement that he was all she had now was racing around in his mind. When Minimo's father was killed earlier in the evening, he had said the same thing to Makoto. How could he, how should he answer the daughter, his friend from childhood that he had not seen for over ten years? The truth be known he had not thought of her in all that time. Vague memories were stirred when he had found her playing his old harmonica on the roof of the school, but that was all. He hadn't even remembered giving it to her when his family had to move away back then. It was only seeing his initials scratched on the metal that brought back that small piece of memory.

Closing his eyes he took a breath and shook his head. Minimo, just another girl in the group of friends he had been around since moving back to Kazuni town with his younger sister Hinata. The quiet girl that had been on the edge of that group, there but not in the forefront of things. The girl that was greatly hurt when he had forgotten her birthday. The girl that asked for only one thing for him to give her for her birthday and had him close his eyes. Then his shock when she kissed him and he felt her tongue enter his mouth. Now how was he to answer her?

Slowly he reached his hands up and held Minimo by the upper arms. He had wanted to push her back a little to where he could talk to her. As if it were planned he lowered his face to her dark hair and gave the top of her head a gentle kiss. He hesitated for a second and drew in a breath.

His senses detected the fruity scent of shampoo and a hint of some type of incense, and then something else underlying it all. It was the sweet, gentle scent of Minimo. Makoto breathed in again, his face buried deep in her hair.

As if shocked by electricity, his eyes opened wide while his body stiffened. In later years he would describe the sensation as being in a darkened room at noon on a sunny, bright day, and having the curtains opened. He remembered. He saw what he had forgotten while growing up away from Minimo.

**2.**

It was an instant of time that felt like years while he watched what unfolded in his mind. It was Minimo and he, from birth they were together, always together. Playing, being cared for at each the other's home while the other set of parents were away. Bathing, and sleeping together as babies and young children. Makoto almost always waking up with Minimo's head next to his, and his hand held in hers. Her scent was locked in his mind.

But it was more than just that. As a child he really didn't notice the other difference. Watching now he understood that something else. They had played together, ran, swung on swings, climbed and fell down. And they were injured like all small children would have happen when playing. Makoto's vision saw those injuries heal quickly. Too quickly. But only when Minimo and Makoto held to each other. The pain and hurt gone from their minds as the outer injury disappeared.

There was more. Two separate children, with two sets of parents, but acting as one. Either could begin, or end, the thought of the other. They could even do this when apart. He remembered their parents exchanging stories of one or the other child telling what was happening at a particular time, but while in another place. Their parents knew what truth was there even then.

Makoto watched and felt more. Now it was Minimo's anguish when he had to leave her as a child. The hurt that wouldn't leave because he wasn't there to take it away. The playground injuries that didn't heal immediately. The belief that she would find him again. Later playing the harmonica every day from the roof of the high school hoping the music would somehow reach him. Then suddenly seeing him standing there on the roof. Called, she knew, by her love for him. And by what she knew was his returned love for her.

The part of Makoto's mind that was seeing the story unfold wanted to stop the action, but it kept speeding on. He saw from Minimo's perspective what followed after their new meeting. And it hurt in his heart. Watching him not pay particular attention to her. Going on what looked like dates with Nozomi. Showing more concern for the other girls, and especially Hikari. Not being at home when she finally would work up courage to call him. The thrill of their movie date, and the fear when she had asked him to go with her. And the sound of indifference in his voice when he accepted the invitation. The forgotten birthday. Never being able to express what she felt, and assuming that Makoto remembered their life before. The unbelievable pain when the hospital called her just this evening about her father. It was all there for him to see. Her inner hurt exploding after she returned from the hospital. Coming back from the hospital and clearing her desk and dresser with sweeps of her arms in anger and frustration. The diary she had been keeping to write down her thoughts of Makoto, flung away to the floor. He now knew it all.

**3.**

"Mako-chan?" Minimo had raised her head after she felt the little kiss on her head that Makoto had given her. "Mako-chan!" She saw the glazed look in his eyes, focused on nothing, and it frightened her. Pushing away from his body, she was held by his hands tight on her arms. "Mako-chan! Please let go!"

Makoto's eyes came back into focus and the glaze left them. He slowly looked down at Minimo's tear stained face and reddened eyes, barely seen in the light from the front room of the apartment. "Mako-chan? Are you all right?" Watching his face she tried to pull away again, but he still held on to her. Just a touch of fear in her look. "Please, Mako-chan, you can let me go now. I'm sorry for this. You can let me go now."

Minimo watched as Makoto's face changed from being a mask with no emotion to a softness she hadn't seen before. Tears had started to form in his eyes. Suddenly, he let go of her arms. Not to push her away but to put his arms around her in a crushing hug. She couldn't free her own arms that were trapped between her and his chest. She still held tight to his tear dampened shirt. Makoto's cheek was resting on hers, and she felt the wetness against her own wet face. It was her eyes that went wide as he whispered in her ear. "Minimo-chan, I'm sorry for everything." She heard an intake of air. "Minimo-chan, I had forgotten you! I had forgotten about us. Please forgive me now." His hug grew stronger, and she had no answer for him in her confusion. All that she heard was "I had forgotten you!" and she wasn't prepared for that.

As Makoto loosened his arms, he moved his body back to where Minimo was able to move. He watched as her body shook slightly, and her arms went down to her sides. Her face was starting to register panic. And then he realized something else from watching their memories, something important. It wasn't that they both could react to the other but that the closeness was possible only from him. That's how he could forget the past, but Minimo had to live with the emptiness. That had been his "talent", the "talent" that he didn't realize he had. Minimo was able to control the wind, and he could take hurt and pain from someone. And that someone was Minimo. All the others had a reaction to his caring, but it was Minimo that unknowingly relied on him.

Makoto smiled at Minimo and reached out his hand to her. She looked at it as if it were poison, then slowly stretched her shaking hand out to meet it. "Minimo-chan, hold to me." He linked his fingers with hers. As he watched her expression became less fearful, and the shaking of her body stopped. "Minimo-chan, you asked me what you were to me." He reached out with his other hand as she met it with hers. "You are more than a childhood friend. You were more than that to me when we were small, but I had forgotten." It was almost as if he could see the hurt and pain of the last ten years dropping from her. "Minimo, you are a part of me, and I will not let that part disappear again." He had slowly pulled her close to him. Dropping her hands, he put his arms around her and gave her a kiss. Outside the rain was harder against the window, and there was a flash of lightning.

**4.**

Makoto suddenly sat up on the bed. Although slightly groggy from sleep, he glanced around the room. "My room, my bed. What is going on?" This was the third time he had awakened in his room in one night. The first time after being taken to the hospital when he had been badly beaten by Wakaba's stalker. He was in the hospital bed and then he was here. The second time happened after he was with Hikari. He had run to Hikari's store and watched Hikari pull a sword from thin air and strike down Minimo's father. Then seeing into Hikari's mind and the fantastic story she told him. Half-gods, gods, and the priestess that had to protect the town's secrets from the outside world. Protect the town secret by the sacrifice, no call it murder, of people. Falling off a cliff with her, but finding themselves back at shrine. Watching as Hikari dissolved into specks of light at the sacred tree. Waking up again in his bed. It was a strange and crazy night.

Makoto thought a second. But he had gone to Minimo's apartment, too. He had gone to tell her about her father. Then what? He flopped his body back down on the bed. Stretching a little his nose got near his pillow, and his eyes opened wide. Grabbing the pillow and crushing it to his face he could smell what must be his odor, but on one half of the pillow it was not. "Minimo?" He breathed in again. "Minimo has been on my pillow?" Last night at Minimo's apartment came back to him. He sat up again fast. "Where's Minimo? Did I bring her back here?" He looked around the room for signs of something belonging to a female but saw nothing. Almost a wail came out, "What have I done?"

From what sounded like the kitchen he heard Hinata's voice call to him. "Brother, are you finally up? Breakfast is almost ready."

Hinata's voice, this must be normal then. Still, what had happened to Minimo? "I've got to call her apartment." He swung his feet around to the floor and looked down. His slippers were down there all right. But right beside them were a pair of much smaller slippers. "Ahh?" Reaching down he touched one slipper, it was real because he could feel it. Strange thoughts ran through his head. Then in a corner of his eye he saw a foot in a school sock and the lower part of a long school uniform dress.

"Good morning, Mako-chan!" Minimo squatted down to be at his eye level and gave him one of her best smiles. "Did you sleep well?"

Makoto's heart began to race with shock and his mouth fell open. For a second he couldn't speak. With a slight gulp he was able to at least say "good morning." Here he sat on his own bed, in his pajamas, with Minimo standing in front of him, and what were probably her slippers on the floor. Exactly what was he expected to say?

Minimo sat down next to him on the bed and took his hand in hers. "You look like you saw a ghost, Mako-chan. Well, did you?" She had what could be called a playful smile. She leaned over and whispered into his ear. "Did I wake you when I got up this morning dear?" Then she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

With his heart still beating fast Makoto turned his head slowly toward Minimo. "You were here last night? In my bed?" He glanced at his pillow. "And with your head there?" He paused. "And I was here, too?"

Minimo tried hard to not laugh, but it didn't work. "Well, of course I did, and you were here also." She was able to control herself a little. Looking at Makoto's face almost set her off again, but she held back. Instead she raised her hand that held to his. "Don't you remember the other night at my apartment? Well I do."

It came back to him in a rush. Last night at her apartment. Yes, and the revelations that came. He looked at their joined hands, and then at Minimo's smile. "Yes, I do remember last night. But I wasn't expecting you to be here." For a second he stopped. "At least not here yet."

With a deep sigh, Minimo looked away, but still held his hand. "I guess that you don't want me around you."

Makoto's mind was picking up speed finally. He grabbed their joined hands with his other one. "No! No, that's not what I meant." He almost stuttered. "I do want you here with me. But what about Hinata? Surely she needs to know about this?"

"Know about what, brother?" Hinata stood at his other side. "I already called you for breakfast, and after three days I would think you would be hungry." She crossed her arms and turned toward Minimo. "And you, dear sister, were supposed to get him up, not sit there holding his hands. You can do that later after school." Hinata turned and left the room.

Makoto followed her with both his eyes and his mouth wide open.

Minimo watched him a second. "Mako-chan, I think Hinata knows about us." She glanced down at their joined hands and the smile left her face. "Mako-chan, remember how it worked? You saw through my eyes the other night." Her eyes raised to meet his. "And I saw through your eyes also. I saw what happened to you that night before you came over. And the all the time since we met again." She leaned over and gave him another kiss on the cheek. "And it's over. It's all over now, that old life. We can start with a fresh, clean sheet for our lives, can't we."

Makoto looked at her hand in his. She had done that deliberately to get his true feelings! He had cleared her thoughts of the hurt and although the memories were there, the hurt was not. "Yeah, you're right. We can start with a clean sheet of paper." He gave her a kiss on the lips this time.

A kitchen towel hit them in the head. In the doorway stood Hinata with her hands on her hips. "I said breakfast was ready! And school is next. Then Minimo's cooking lessons. And homework." She leaned forward slightly. "Then, and only then, do you maybe have time for anything else." Hinata turned and walked back to the kitchen.

Minimo and Makoto looked at each other and broke out laughing. Makoto stopped and thought a moment. "Three days. Hinata said I was asleep three days?" He stared at Minimo with a question on his face. "You have been in here three days?" He watched her nod in the affirmative. "Minimo-chan, how did I get in my pajamas?" He watched her begin to smile again. "No! Don't tell me you put them on me?" Her smile got bigger.

"But Mako-chan, you were still in your school clothes. And they were wet. Oh, and Hinata helped me too." Her smile was even bigger as she patted him on the leg. "You don't need to worry though, I made sure she wasn't looking when I took off your underwear."

For years afterward, whenever they needed to smile at life, just picturing Makoto's face at that moment did the trick.


End file.
